Meeting the Messiah: Three Encounters with Jesus (John 1:35-51)

Meeting the Messiah: Three Encounters with Jesus

John 1:35-51

Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples. And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, “Behold the Lamb of God!”

The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, “What do you seek?”

They said to Him, “Rabbi” (which is to say, when translated, Teacher), “where are You staying?”

He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where He was staying, and remained with Him that day (now it was about the tenth hour).

One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus.

Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, “You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas” (which is translated, A Stone). The following day Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, and He found Philip and said to him, “Follow Me.” Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.  Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”

And Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”

Philip said to him, “Come and see.” Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!” Nathanael said to Him, “How do You know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” Nathanael answered and said to Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” Jesus answered and said to him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” And He said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”

Today, we walk with Jesus across three consecutive days as He meets His first disciples.

He doesn’t convince them with promises or flattery. Instead, John the Apostle shows us a deeper truth: Jesus calls people in different ways—and each responds in a unique way.

They all eventually proclaim Him as Messiah—the sincere, the skeptical, and the seeking. Jesus calls us to follow Him personally and reveals His identity progressively to those who seek Him.

The First Disciples

John 1:35-39

Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples. And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, “Behold the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, “What do you seek?”

They said to Him, “Rabbi” (which is to say, when translated, Teacher), “where are You staying?”

 He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where He was staying, and remained with Him that day (now it was about the tenth hour).

John again testifies that Jesus is the “Lamb of God”, the sacrificial lamb (our Passover lamb) that came for our salvation, to set us free from sin and reconcile us to our Heavenly Father. This time two disciples heard him, and without hesitation they followed Jesus. Jesus did not need to say a word, but they followed Him. One of the disciples was Andrew, Peter’s brother, the other is not named but some scholars believe it was probably John the apostle himself (the author of the book).

Jesus turned to them and inquired “What do you seek?”

Jesus’ first words to the first disciples are not commands or teachings—but a question: “What do you seek?” This question echoes through time and still reaches each of us today:

What are you really seeking? What are we living for?

Are we seeking Jesus Himself—to know Him, to walk with Him, to do the Father’s will?

Or are we seeking something from Jesus—a breakthrough, a blessing, healing, a spouse, financial comfort?

These are not wrong in themselves. Scripture teaches us to “with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;” (Philippians 4:6). But when these things become the centre of our faith, rather than Christ Himself, we risk turning our discipleship into a transaction.

The Jewish people on Palm Sunday, sought Jesus and proclaimed him as King. They shouted “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” (John 12:13). But they didn’t seek the Lamb of God who takes away sin—they sought a liberator from Roman rule. They wanted a political king, a miracle-worker, a provider—not a suffering Messiah. And when Jesus didn’t meet their earthly expectations, they turned against Him. In a few days, “They cried out again, ‘Not this Man, but Barabbas!’” (John 18:40). 

How sobering!

Could we be doing the same today—choosing Barabbas over Jesus, chasing worldly fixes over eternal truth? Do we go looking for alternatives and doing things in our own strength, when we do not get what we want? 

We all do sometimes, dear friends but we should always remember how Jesus taught us to pray. In Gethsemane, Jesus Himself poured out His heart before the Father.

“O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” (Matthew 26:39)

This is the posture of a true seeker—not one who demands, but one who trusts the Father's will.

Let us end every prayer, not with entitlement, but with surrender: “Heavenly Father, not my will, but Yours be done.”

Back to the disciples, how did they answer? They clearly declared that they seeked him by calling him teacher (Rabbi), and they asked where he was staying. He didn’t push them away but invited them to “Come and see.”. And they followed “They came and saw where He was staying, and remained with Him that day.” They remain with Him that day—until about the tenth hour (4 p.m.)—a sign of their eagerness to be near Him, even as the day was nearly over. 

Note that in Jewish timekeeping, the day starts at 6:00 a.m., so the 1st hour is 7:00 a.m. 

Andrew Bring His brother to Jesus

John 1:40-42

One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.  He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus. Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, “You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas” (which is translated, A Stone).

Andrew doesn’t keep the good news to himself. He goes straight to his brother, Simon, and says:

we have found the Messiah (Ma- SHEE-ah-kh). He doesn't stop at telling him—he brings him to Jesus. 

I love picturing Jesus as this warm, approachable man who enjoyed giving His friends nicknames—not out of mockery, but out of deep insight and affection. He once called James and John “Boanerges”—“Sons of Thunder” (Mark 3:17)—probably because of their fiery passion and bold personalities. And now, as Simon approaches, Jesus does something similar: “You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas”

Simon in Hebrew שִׁמְעוֹן (Shimʿon) means “he has heard” or “God has heard”. It is from the Hebrew verb שָׁמַע (shama), meaning “to hear”. When Jesus meets Simon, He gives him new name Cephas.  Cephas is Aramaic for “rock” or “stone” and the Greek equivalent is Πέτρος (Petros). So, his given name was Simon (שמעון) and his aramaic nickname given by Jesus was Cephas (כֵּיפָא) and Peter (Πέτρος) is the Greek equivalent used in the New Testament. 

Jesus never gives names lightly. His words always carry spiritual weight. Calling Simon “Rock” wasn’t just a play on words. It was prophetic.

Though Simon would waver—denying Christ, doubting the path—he would later become a pillar in the early church. Peter represents:

• Stability — Christ would make him steadfast
• Leadership — he would lead many into the faith
• Transformation — from a common man to a foundational apostle

Jesus Calls Philip to Follow Him

John 1:43-44

The following day Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, and He found Philip and said to him, “Follow Me.” Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.

Jesus next finds Philip and simply says “Follow me”. It sounds very simple but the reality is that’s a very difficult thing to do, following Jesus is very challenging. There is a distinction we should make between salvation and discipleship.  Salvation is free but discipleship is costly. 

To be a disciple, a follower of Jesus, we must do as Jesus commanded us in Luke 14:26-27, “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.” So, to be a disciple according to Jesus, we had to not put anyone in our life, before Him, before God and  we had to die to sin.

Our salvation is different, it is free and a gift. Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”

Nathaneal proclaims Jesus as the Son of God

John 1:45-51

Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”

And Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”

Philip said to him, “Come and see.” Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!” Nathanael said to Him, “How do You know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”  Nathanael answered and said to Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” Jesus answered and said to him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” And He said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”

Philip finds Nathaneal and informs him that they have found who Moses and the prophets prophesied about. But Nathaneal argues that Jesus is from Nazareth, and the OT said the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, not Nazareth.  

We sometimes face the same conundrum when sharing Christ with unbelievers, and they start to argue. Philip did the simplest thing: He didn’t argue back; he just invited Nathaneal to come and see for himself. That’s all we need to say sometimes. Invite others to experience Jesus themselves—through the Word, through prayer, through fellowship.

Jesus knew Nathaneal thoughts and doubts, and he astonishes Nathaneal by starting with “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!”. Nathaneal was stunned how did Jesus know him, and Jesus continued to reveal his all-knowing divine nature to the doubtful Nathanael. Jesus told him, that he saw him under the fig tree before Philip found him. 

In Jewish tradition, sitting under the fig tree is a euphemism for meditating on Scripture or praying. Jesus saw him in that private moment, and Nathanael was stunned. This led to Nathanael’s powerful confession in the next verse: “Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” (John 1:49)

It astonishes me how easy it was for Nathaneal to proclaim Jesus as the Son of God and King of Israel, once he had this very personal and profound moment with Jesus. 

Today, John reveals something powerful about the way Jesus calls people. He uses very different kinds of people in His ministry—and each responds to Him in a unique way

So far, we've seen three types of disciples:

• Those who believe because they know the Word. 

When John the Baptist declared, “Behold the Lamb of God,” his disciples—already familiar with the Scriptures and Messianic promises—recognized the significance and followed Jesus. Their faith was rooted in their understanding of God’s Word.

• Those who respond directly to Jesus' call. 

Like Philip, who hears Jesus say, “Follow Me,” and simply obeys. No questions, no delay—just faith.

• Those who need a personal revelation or sign. 

Like Nathanael was sceptical at first. But when Jesus revealed knowledge of his private moment “under the fig tree,” his heart was stirred, and he confessed: “Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” .

Jesus reaches us in the way our hearts understand—through Scripture, calling, or revelation.

And just like them, we too are disciples in progress—following, learning, and being transformed by the One who knows us completely.

Let us not follow Jesus only to get something, but to become someone—His disciple.

“Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You.”

Psalm 73:25